MCI proposes installation of two new tube wells in each UC

Short-term solution to water shortage

islamabad - The members of Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad on Tuesday demanded the installation of two tube wells in each union councils and deployment of two water tankers on the disposal of union councils as a short term solution to resolve water crisis in the city.

The Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) met here at Pak-China Centre and the session was chaired by the deputy mayor Azam Khan. The meeting was called to take suggestions from the local government representatives in the wake of Supreme Court directions to resolve the issue of water scarcity in the capital city. The recommendations of the MCI would be submitted before a committee constituted by the Supreme Court, for solution of the water shortage in Islamabad. Irrespective of the aisle, both, treasury and opposition members agreed that there is a need for installation of new tube wells in each union council.

PML-N and PTI members also exchanged harsh words during the meeting. Speaking on the occasion, Opposition Leader Ali Nawaz suggested that at least two water tankers should be deployed at the disposal of each union council. He said that CDA and MCI have failed to resolve the issue of water shortage in the city. He said that during the last two and half years, only two new tube wells were installed in Islamabad, which shows how serious MCI and CDA were for resolving the issue. He said that for 2.2million population of Islamabad, CDA only has 34 water tankers out of which 17 are out of order.

PML-N member Sardar Mehtab expressed his deep concerns over the performance of CDA’s s water directorate, claiming that there is a mafia in the water directorate, which has been creating artificial shortage of water. The Chief Metropolitan Offer (CMO) Syed Najaf Iqbal said the meeting was convened in the wake of Supreme Court directives. It is imperative to mention here that the apex court had, in a suo moto case directed MCI to submit suggestions before a committee to resolve water scarcity in the capital. He said that efforts were being made to get 1.6 billion rupees worth of funds from the federal government. The MCI members also demanded constructions of new dams in the capital, saying that there is a dire need for construction of small dams. Syed Zeeshan Naqvi, the deputy mayor said that on the Margalla Hills, a large number of rubber dams could be installed to harvest rain water.